Sharing the roads for a safe harvest

Published 11:15 am, Wednesday, October 10, 2012

If you are driving 55 mph and come up upon a tractor or combine that’s moving only 15 mph, it only takes five seconds to close a gap the length of a football field between you and the tractor.

That’s why the Michigan Farm Bureau and the Michigan State Police urge motorists to be aware of farm equipment if they are traveling on rural roads any time of year, but especially at harvest time when loads of crops are being driven to elevators and processing mills in Auburn, Freeland, Bay City and elsewhere.

In 2010, 158 accidents involving farm equipment were reported, according to the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. Of those, 61 occurred during the harvest months of September through December. One of the biggest hazards is motorists not allowing enough time to brake when approaching a slow-moving farm vehicle, said Craig Anderson, manager of the Michigan Farm Bureau Agricultural Labor and Safety Services Department.

To spot a slow-moving farm vehicle, Anderson reminds motorists to look for the slow-moving vehicle (SMV) sign which is a bright orange reflective triangle bordered in red. Posted on the rear of the farm vehicle, it is meant to warn motorists that a vehicle is traveling slower than at normal speeds.

While some tractors, combines and other harvesters can travel on highways up to 30 to 45 mph, most can only move at a rate of 15 to 25 mph, Anderson explained.

Anderson also asked that motorists be patient when following behind a farm vehicle. “A farmer will often pull off the road to allow motorists to pass when safe,” he said. “But don’t assume the farmer can immediately move aside to let you pass. Road shoulders may be soft, wet or steep, and this can cause a farm vehicle to tip.”

Additionally, like semi-trucks, farm equipment makes wide turns. Watch for turn signals or hand motions to indicate that a farm vehicle is preparing to turn.